Last week, Frodsham Nub News reported that the Frodsham and District History Society had been awarded a £5,000 grant from the Marshes Community Benefit Fund (MCBF).

We now have more news from the History Society on their plans for this funding.

The Society, which is approaching its fortieth year, has a significant collection of documents, maps, posters, books, journals, artefacts, historic images and photographic slides.

Working with Cheshire Archives & Local Studies, and based at Frodsham Youth Association, a team of ten volunteers will work through the collection.

They will create an improved catalogue that will be searchable online, enabling researchers to check quickly what is available.

The volunteer team will also re-house the items, some of which are fragile, in specialist archival document boxes, which have been funded by MCBF, so ensuring that the collection will be preserved for future generations.

To prepare for the task ahead, the volunteer team has been trained in community archive skills, in particular, collections information improvement and conservation. The training has been delivered online because of social distancing requirements.

Lisa Greenhalgh, Senior Archivist at Cheshire Archives & Local Studies said "This is a ground breaking project for us to work with, as we are delivering training online for the first time to a community group.

"This may enable us to review training in the future, and helps us contribute to reducing our carbon footprint".

Frank Whitfield, Chairman of Frodsham & District History Society said "This project will raise the

profile of local history and heritage in Frodsham and the surrounding area.

"The conservation work will also allow Frodsham's historic past to be preserved for future research and display.

"We are grateful to the Marshes Community Benefit Fund, Frodsham Youth Association and Cheshire Archives & Local Studies for their contribution to the project and for making it possible".